history of fashion(18th century)

With the death of Louis XIV and the coronation of Louis XV in 1715 , a smart and refined style called "rococo"
has blossomed.Thought the term rococo was later used in the nineteenth century in a derogatory sense,suggesting excess and frivolity,today it refers to a general artistic style emblematic of harmonious French culture.The culture responsible for the rococo style was characterized by the pursuit of personal pleasure.
Sinse that pursuit naturally included clothing,it,too, was soon elevated to the realm of rt.Thought France was already an acknowledged leader of fashion during the reign of Louis XIV,the rococo period confirmed the country's reputation as the leader o women's fashion worldwide.After the iitial popularity of rococo,clothing styles veered off in two diametrically opposed fashion directions,one involving a fantastic conceit of artificial aesthetics,and the oter a desire to return to nature.The French Revolution in 1789 modernized many aspects of society and brought a clear shift in clothing styles from decorative rococo to the more simple dress of neoclassicism.This radical change in clothing styles,a phenomenon unique in the history of fashion,is a reflection of the momentous upheavals in the social values of the period.

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